Windows Resets Itself Before Installing a Program

[onn99]

Hi,

I have an annoying problem that has been occuring on my computer for a while now, I am running Windows XP Pro.

Windows will reset itself just like as if I am pressing the reset button when I am installing large programs like a game or something or even transferring large fies like a CD image or something similar. I have no idea what triggers this problem and I have tried re-installing many times but the error still occurs.

There is no virus as far as I know because I have scanned the computer with Norton Anti-Virus. It always seem to rest and reboot the computer near the end of the Install or copy, I am completely at lose to why this happens. Could something be making windows copy everything to memory my RAM (512MB) and then transferring the files over to the hard-drive, then becasue it runs out of RAM it resets?

Any clues or anyone having similar experience can help me?? I would be most grateful.

 

[wolluf]

sounds like a hardware or driver problem. Is there anything in event viewer (run eventvwr.msc)?

If your 512MB is more than 1 stick, try running on one stick - try each on its own (ie, check the RAM).

 

[flashmedia]

This sounds like a RAM problem, I agree with wolluf, take out the RAM and reseat it, or try one stick at a time, or replace it altogether.

Also, beware of Norton AV.. if it did detect a virus in the past, it may keep it in Quarantine, and therefore still on your hard disk, so check the quarantine status and remove any files there.

 

[onn99]

I don't think it is RAM because I have had this computer for quite some time and it only started playing up recently, so it is not a new computer.

I checked the event viewer as you suggested and it had errors with source from IPNATHLP, which was the network address translator. The error message was

The Network Address Translator (NAT) was unable to request an operation of the kernel-mode translation module. This may indicate misconfiguration, insufficient resources, or an internal error. The data is the error code.


the only other error was made by the ACPI, which came up with this error message

AMLI: ACPI BIOS is attempting to write to an illegal IO port address (0x70), which lies in the 0x70 - 0x71 protected address range. This could lead to system instability. Please contact your system vendor for technical assistance.

Now this I think is the main problem, I did install a new 80 GIG hard drive and a new 52x speed burner in not too long ago. Not long after that the problem came up, so I guess this is the real problem. Anyway suggestions on how i can fix this problem? Please don't say IRQs because I alway manage to get something wrong when I try to assign them.

 

[flashmedia]

Don't be so easy to discount RAM, it does go faulty - but in anycase, when you say you installed a new 80Gb HDD, what exactly did you do ? Did you start with a new install of WinXP or did you clone the old HDisk or what ?

Do you know how to turn off the power management features in your BIOS ? Go to the CMOS and disable all the power management.

The problem with ACPI is well documented, essentially this is a design of WinXP that prevents calls to certain ports to stop the system from crashing.
They have done this on purpose in order to prevent Blue screen of death.. so instead it now just writes a log entry.
So now, I may assume you have installed a new operating system than what was on your old HDisk ? If that is the case then you will probably need a BIOS update for your motherboard as Microsoft have built-in this ACPI functionality and your motherboard BIOS does not support it.

 

[onn99]

Thanks, I will try the new BIOS install and then try the power management disable and see how they work.

In terms of a new 80 GIG hard-drive, I installed it and then installed a new OS on it, so you are probably right in saying my Motherboard is not updated with all the drivers.

My old hard-drive is still in the system but it has been formatted and hence is cleaned out, unless there is still residue information on there that is stuffing it up.

Anyway thanks for your help so far Flashmedia and wolluf, you been great help.